The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1914. THE TRENCH ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2147, 13 May 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1914. THE TRENCH ELECTIONS

The'outstanding features of the ! ( French elections are the comparative, failure of M. Bruno's new party and the increase in ..the number of , Socialist members, A cablegram which appears hi another column ■states that the Radicals have secured 237 seats, while sixty seats have been gained by the Socialists, whose sucrft cess is duo to their well-defined pYo:e gramme and ilia efficiency of their 3.j organisation. The information at » present available does not provide - the necessary data to enabk; one to form a clear idea of the relative .; strength of parties: in the new Parh- liament, but it is quite evident that the. Kadieal-Srteiaiist combination which has dominated French polities for so many years, will continue, to [. manage the affairs of the nation. : In France there arc quite a number of political groups and sub-groups, but for. practical purposes they may all be included in four main divisions—<l) Tho. Monarchist, Catholic, and Nationalist group; (2) M. Bruko's new party; (3) the Radicals (including a section of the Socialists); (4) the Unified Socialists led by M. Jaubes. The first division is a comparatively small and not very powerful party, and the real struggle at tho election which has just been hold lay between M. Briakd's party-and the Radical and Socialist groups. The failure of the new movement- led by if. Bjiiand _ will bo a disppointment to ninny who had hoped' that tho principles of stability, national loyalty, and s internal peace for which i't stood .„ would have appealed more strongly y to the best elements in the population, with the result that a cheek , would have been placed on the driftin the direction of revolutionary Socialism. It was, however, too much . to expect that M. Biuand and his 1 followers could defeat the powerful Radical-Socialist combination, in & view of the fact-that the new mow-; mci.it is only some six months old, ! '■ but most outside observers thought that they would have done - bettor! than the cabled accounts of the dec-1 ; . tion sce.ni to indicate. There was - reason to believe that tho new spirit of nationalism and tho growing desire to lesson the intensity of sec- . fcioiul animosity would have given 3 powerful support to M, Briand's ■. campaign. But the French political system gives the party in power an .. enormous advantage at tho polls. In a recent article in the Kmr.tecni'k ■ Centura, Mr. A. F. Warns points out that with 800.000 State functionaries marshalled by the prefects tin- '* dcr the order of the Minister for the Interior, immense electoral power is wielded by the Minis-try which makes the elections. Mis. Wiivte goes on to say that "to gain this power, and with no other end in view, the Radical Party made their supreme effort last December to drive the Baetho-u Cabinet from , office, and, bavins* succeeded, they could do nothing but mark time till 5 the date of, the election." v The three great issues placed be* . fore the country were the extension of the term of military service from two to three years, the income tax, and electoral reform. Wo are told that the electorates have approved . the three-year period of service, which has the support of the Briandjsts and a majority of the Radicals, j but is generally opposed by thc.So- , ciahsts. In' vis.v of the great in- . crease recently made'in tha German . Army, it would have been a very - serious matter for. France if the country had decided against the extension of the term of service, the result of which will be a large addii tion to the strength, of the Amy. . The ■ Socialists, many of whom are really anti-Nationalists,' hare fought vigorously against this measure, but the great majority of the people have {been sufficiently patriotic to place the safety of the country before ; party considerations in such a- vital , matter as this. U. Millwiasd, oleic of the Briandist leaders, recently declared that the fundamental principle of the, policy pursued by himself and his friends was the'subordination of private interests to the welfare of the State, This principle, he -said, had been manifested in tho three years' service law and'in tho Electoral Reform -Bill, which had been twica voted by the Chamber. The need for electoral reform is certainly urgent, but the prospnt system has been so useful to the Radi-cal-Socialist combination that fche.v are not likely to show any great, enthusiasm for its abolition. It is ■ demoralising, as -M. "Mjllerasd pointed out. that "no postman, no road-raender, no jupe dc, paix, can be appointed without the consent of the deputy, that is, without the approval of half a dozen persons who satisfy their petty ambitions and private grudges under his shadow." This evil has long been regarded as a- Wot on French political life, but it has so far misted all the attacks which have ,been made upon it. The success of tho GovGrniiKrn't at the elections will be a tiisappointttent to these who have been hoping for some kind of reconciliation" between the State and the Church, M. Bkiajj&'s policy of peace does not mca-a a reversion to tho position which existed befo.ro 1 tho separation ' of Church and kit he thinks that now the separation is complete tb» Church should be allowed to go - it® own way without further moks- < tation. The attitude of the- new > party towards the- Church was clear- : ly stated recently by M. Barthou, ' Tlicj; distinguished, he- said, between "■ Clericalism, which was the exploita- 1 tion of religious sentiments for the ' purposes of politics, and that religi- 1 •oits liberty of which they were the ' confened upholders. They eonskl- ■ ered, with Gajibetta, that the State I would be guilty of ■ an intolerable s abuse if it used its influence and ' power again-st religion. Thew is a i strong feeling in Prance, even -among i the most convinced Republicans and < those who supported tljp -separation < laws, ihat- the disestablished 1 Church < has not received fair play from re- 1 emit Radical-Soriali»t Adrainislra- ■: tions, and.that porsreution lie any 1 form should .now cease. An opportunity should be' given for the " wounds to heal, and for the barriers ! which divide the French people into - hostile camps to bo gradually broken i down, so that France may once more ( bftconic a unitwl. nation. The recent 1 elections show that tho tick has not p ~vc-l'. hu'iifljdi Ijiit thfji'ff B-r«i powarfMl t .'i6dia.L .BOiHtic-aL a.ad lateilectaal I r

torccs at work which in due time mav be expected to make their influence :, felt in legislation and administration, in strengthening the influ- ■ eiu'c of Franco in world politics. ;